My Beginning
by You are my Beauty
Summary: Rose is married to Hockley with 5 children.  What happened to Jack?  Is he dead? The story focuses on Rose's first child Savannah as she starts her life and learns the secret one her mother had so many years ago.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay here is my debut story, I love reviews and appreciate any advice, but please don't hate.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic, but I do own my things**

Life isn't fair. I don't know what I did to deserve a life like I have. Then again, my mother's life is so much harder.

My name is Savannah Nicole Hockley and I absolutely despise everything about my existence.

My father is a pompous man who does not care for anyone, but himself and his money of course. My parents sailed from England to America on the RMS Titanic on April 10th, 1912. I am the oldest of five and completely different from all of my siblings.

I have curly blonde hair and deep blue eyes, which of course make me, look different from my dark siblings and more like my mother, but then there is my personality.

I am a "rebel" I don't always where my corset, I prefer to sketch and read then gossip with the other high society girls, and I speak my mind.

I am very much like my mother in those ways, she doesn't gossip, but rather stays quiet at events and only talks about polite things. My three sisters, all they do is gossip. Margaret is sixteen, Marie is fourteen, and Mildred is thirteen. To me they are quite annoying and rude girls. They are my father's pride and joy. This is one of the many reasons why we don't get along. All three of them have dark straight hair like his, dark-black almost-eyes, pompous attitudes, rude demeanor, and the only thing they got from my mother is a pale complexion.

My brother is a mix of my mother and my father, but every day he grows from a sympathetic and caring young man to a cruel and heartless little boy. He is twelve and has straight dark brown hair like my father, but a pale complexion and blue-green eyes.

"Savannah?" I heard my mother calling me from the other side of my door in her soft voice and immediately stopped brushing my hair and stood up fixing my robe.

"Come in." I said politely and my mother came in. She used to have such a fire in her, she glowed from the inside out, but of course my father got rid of that-to a point. My mother's red curls were in a tight bun and she had on one of her nicest gowns. I knew that she did not only come in to say hello to me, I wished she had though I wish she was as fiery as her hair color.

"You father received a call this morning from Edward Ryan, you remember him don't you? His father owns a large rubber company with an even larger fortune. We met him while he was staying with his uncle, and namesake, Edward Manson." My mother explained, I could see her eyes held distress.

"Yes, but why?" I said quietly and calmly, but inside my insides were spinning uncontrollably.

"Well, he has asked for your hand in marriage." My mother said as calmly as she could.

All of a sudden all I felt was the carpet on my face and I saw my mother sitting next to me and knew she was speaking, but all I heard was the blood pounding in my ears. Then there was only black.

When I woke I was laying in my bed and saw my mother and personal maid Gretchen looking over me and dabbing my face with a wet clothe.

"Savannah, are you ok, darling?" my mother asked me looking down with caring eyes.

I opened my mouth to respond when my father made his presence known, "Of course she's all right, she obviously was being overly dramatic and striving for attention."

I saw a flash of anger in my mother's eyes and her lips looked like they were about to respond harshly, but instead she quickly composed herself.

"I don't think she was just acting, dear," my mother defended me and I could see the annoyance behind her outward calm. "I was with her when it happened and one minute we're talking and I saw her hit the floor."

"Well we're relying on _your_ story now? This was a waste of my time. Be ready to go first thing in the morning, the both of you." With that my father was gone.

I was shocked and I saw the hurt on my mother's face. She cleared her throat and looked at me her eyes full of concern, but I knew there was so much pain behind her mask.

"How are you feeling Savannah?"

I blinked twice, "Shocked, I apologize for fainting earlier."

My mother smiled in a motherly way, a look I rarely saw anymore, and said quietly, "It is not a problem for me."

We sat there for a moment before I could no longer contain myself, "What did he mean be ready to go?"

"that is what I was about to tell you, before your fainting spell, we are going to New York tomorrow."

"So soon?" I gasped

"You will not get married tomorrow, but as his fiancé you must-"

"Excuse me," I said quietly. "but I do not remember hearing we were engaged, just that he asked for my hand."

"Your father said yes for you." My mother said her face expressionless.

My mouth formed an "o", "He did what?"

"Don't use that tone of voice," my mother snapped, she was back. "Gretchen will pack your things we will be leaving in the morning." With that she was gone.

"Gretchen your duties are done for the night thank you." I said quietly laying down.

After I heard the door close I cried myself to sleep.

When I awoke the next morning Gretchen had already packed all of my things into my bags and had laid out a dress for me to wear. She helped me get ready and then my mother came to get me.

We rode in a car to Westchester and pulled up in one of the grandest houses I had ever seen.

I did not want to be impressed, nor did I want to like this young man, proposing to me without letting me have a say in it. Repulsive!

Two footmen, and a man and women my mother's age came out to greet us.

"Be polite." My mother said through a toothy smiled.

"Of course, mother." I snipped, but before she could reprimand me one of the footman opened the door and let me out.

I smiled politely at him and at my new family. That sounds dreadful does it not?

My mother-in-law to be came over and smiled at me fondly which struck me as very odd, she did not look like a natural born first-class snip, why? Her husband had tamed curly brown hair and light, kind eyes. I felt as though I had stepped into a dream, I had only ever met Edward's uncle and he proved to be polar opposites from Edward's parents. Then I remembered my mother was kind before society broke her, too. New money then?

"Good day, to the lovely Mrs. and Ms. Hockley." Mr. Ryan said kissing my mother's hand as well as mine. When he spoke I detected a bit of an Irish accent lurking beneath the American one.

"Good day." My mother and I said in unison.

"Are you tired, would you like to rest from your journey?" Mrs. Ryan asked politely.

"That would be lovely, thank you." My mother replied for me.

One of the servants of the house showed us to our rooms and after parting ways with my mother I sat near the window and looked at the grounds of the estate. It truly was beautiful, I was in the East wing of the house and there was a lake there as well as many fruit trees and a magnificent looking garden. I sighed, missing home.

The feeling startled me why would I miss home? Everyone there hates me, here I am-somewhat-free. This pleased me and I stood up to walk outside. I wasn't sure if I was permitted to be out there so I walked as quietly as I could to the front door and quickly and quietly to the garden after I closed the gate I breathed a sigh of relief and looked around.

"Wow." I whispered looking at the many colors and shapes of flowers all around me. There was a beautiful fountain in the middle and in a daze I looked around happy singing to myself a song my mother had taught me when I was very little.

"_Come Josephine in my flying machine going up she goes_-"

"Up she goes." A male voice harmonized with mine and I gasped jumping backwards.

Standing in front of me was Edward Ryan his arms outstretched to catch me if I fell a mixed look of amusement and worry.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you!" He said quickly as I recomposed myself. "You have a beautiful voice and I couldn't help sing along. My papa taught me that song when I was five, after I came here from Ireland in the year 1915…"

I found myself smiling as he trailed off, "Do you know how your papa knows the song?" I asked quietly.

"He learned it, on the ship he came here. He's told me there was this funny young artist who fell in love with a first class girl while he was in steerage and he used to sing it when he was in a daze, similar to what you were doing." Edward smiled at me. He actually smiled, not a fake or forced smile like I'd seen from the high society women and not a leer which is what I usually got, but a genuine smile.

"Oh, and your papa was he in steerage?" I asked finding myself very interested.

"Yes ma'am. He started working in a rubber factory and founded his own." Edward smiled again, but this time it was about his father and for some strange reason I wanted him to smile for me again.

"How?"

"Well the owner of the factory was getting old, and he didn't want to just give up so he helped pay for my father to get the factory built and started and then the next year he bought the other factory and it just kept growing." Edward's eyes gleamed with pride.

"Well, that is quite an impressive story." I said finding myself smiling genuinely.

Edward looked at the reddening sky and asked me, "May I escort a lady to dinner." His grin making me feel a little light-headed if you can believe that!

I simply nodded and took his arm as he led me out of the garden and into the beautiful house.

**That's the first chapter, not my absolute favorite, but it's not terrible please tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to StayGold364 for being my first review and mentos93 for being my second this chapter is for you! Thank you for the helpful criticism I am truly embarrassed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Titanic.**

As I lay in bed that night I couldn't help, but smile. Edward was charming and his family was actually very kind.

I heard a knock at my door and sat up making sure I looked decent, "Enter." I said loud enough for the person to hear me from across the large room.

My mother walked in, her hair in a braid instead of her usual tight bun, and did not dally, "I would like to know if you would come into the city tomorrow."

I thought about it for a minute and realized I would rather stay here and was about to say so when she added quickly, "Edward will not be here tomorrow and I believe Mr. and Mrs. Ryan have things to do."

I clamped my mouth shut and nodded, "I will come to the city with you tomorrow, but I must rest right now. Good night mother."

"Good night." My mother muttered leaving the room quickly.

I quickly fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

The next day my mother and I were walk through a street in New York City and she looked different. She had a bit of color in her face and her hair hung loose and made me realize just how beautiful my mother's hair was. She was wearing a more casual dress as was I.

My mother looked at the name of a restaurant and gestured to it, "That is the place." She muttered and I wondered why this place.

I looked at the name, _Josephine's Flying Machine,_ and thought of yesterday in the garden with Edward.

"Welcome ma'am and miss, may I ask how many?" a man a little older than me asked my mother replied two and he led us to a table.

About half way through our lunch a young girl who could not be more than ten came over and asked us if we were enjoying our meal.

"Hello ma'am and miss, I am Josephine and I own the restaurant with my Papa." She smiled a toothy smile and I couldn't help smile too. I even saw my mother smile.

A man, who I presumed to be the girl's father, then came over to apologize, but when he saw my mother he stopped.

"Rose?" I heard him whisper and looked up startled that someone called my mother by her first name.

My mother looked like she might cry and I didn't know what to do. I looked at the man and couldn't help, but think I had seen him somewhere. A crazy thought entered my mind, did he look like me?

I cleared my throat and the man looked at me and my heart stopped. I knew those eyes. Those eyes, those were my eyes!

"We should go." My mother said she threw down an amount of money and hurried out of the restaurant. I quickly followed her, but kept looking back at the man behind me.

"Who was that?" I asked still in shock after we hurried away from the restaurant.

"No one important." My mother mumbled, but that angered me obviously he wasn't no one.

"Why did we storm out of the restaurant then?" I asked as calmly as I could keep my voice.

"Are you hungry? We can go somewhere else." My mother said and even though I knew she was half trying I was done I wanted to know and it was right of her to keep this from me.

"Who is he? I know his eyes those are my eyes mother! I do not care what else you say because I know he is someone special and I want to know who he is. You do not react like this on a normal basis so I do not understand what could have possibly happened that you cannot tell me!" I snapped my breathing heavy looking straight into my mother's eyes while some people around us watched.

My mother blushed and pulled me to the car once we were in it she told the driver to go back to the estate and I glowered in her direction the whole ride.

When we got there I walked up to my room quietly, but with purpose and when I got there I went to close the door when it stopped on someone, my mother.

"You are never to speak like that to me again, do you understand that Savannah? That was completely inappropriate and embarrassed me."

"Storming out of a restaurant is not embarrassing then is it?" I asked sarcasm dripping from my words.

My mother took a deep breath, "You do not understand and you will not understand because you are an immature child."

"Oh, so I'm an immature child? You and your husband may just use me for whatever you wish, like marry me off? That is what makes me an immature child? The fact that I must put up with anything and everything that you and the abomination you married and the little ones you produced and I am wrong and immature here? I am afraid your vision is quite skewed mother."

"You will not talk to me like that anymore." My mother was glaring at me now.

"I will do what ever I please!" I snapped shooting my mother a look that could kill.

Then I felt a sharp stinging pain as she reached out and slapped me hard across the face.

I brought my hand to my cheek and shook my head. I instantly saw regret in my mother's eyes, but when she stepped towards me I took a step back shaking my head, "Get out."

With that my mother left and I went to my bed and cried for some time.

When I woke up I saw it was dark outside and realized I must have missed dinner. I sat up and felt sore as it seemed I had slept wrong and my corset pressed me so tightly.

"Miss Hockley?" I heard Gretchen calling me.

"Enter." I said and heard my throat was scratchy.

"It is late and the families wished me to tell you that they are all retiring if you were feeling better." Gretchen smiled at me, but I didn't understand.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, your mother told everyone at dinner you were not feeling well and your face was quite flustered, which I can see on your cheek."

I brought my hand to my cheek and it still stung, "Thank you I am not feeling well, good night."

Gretchen immediately left and I walked over to my window, a bird came and flew near my window and I smiled.

"If only I could be as free as you are beautiful bird." I sighed looking out into the dark night wondering what it would be like to fly. Fly out into the sky knowing I could go anywhere, maybe I would ask that of Mr. Ryan, and then I realized he would never let me do that.

I am a woman I will never be free.

I looked out at the garden and had an urge to run through it, but I had no idea why. I found myself taking off of my dress and undoing my corset. I put on a casual dress and some slippers. I undid the bun my hair was in and tip-toed out of my room. The house was still and I had no idea if anyone could here me, I hoped not.

When I got to the garden I had a new appreciation for flowers and lights. The garden was lit in a way you could only see it when you were standing there, but it made the garden romantic and beautiful.

I twirled and looked at the flowers for what seemed like hours when I heard footsteps. I quickly hid behind one of the trees and looked towards the gates.

A young man walked in and started to do what looked like watering the flowers, as he was doing so I heard him singing to himself.

"In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone. She wheeled her wheel-barrow through the streets broad and narrow crying cockles and mussels alive, alive oh!" The man had a beautiful singing voice and a thick Irish accent, it _entranced_ me.

"Oi! Is someone there? Don't pretend! I see you step out the shadows!" I heard him call and knew he was talking to me.

I stepped slowly out of the shadows and looked into the man's light blue-almost gray eyes.

"I'm sorry; the garden is just so beautiful." I whispered.

The man looked at me for a moment and than whispered, "They are beautiful miss, I understand why you would want to be down here. Would you like me to tell you about the flowers?" I looked up and his eyes were soft now, his smile kind and I realized he couldn't be much older than me.

"The name is Liam, Liam Collins." He said extending his hand.

I smiled and shook his hand, "Savannah, just Savannah."

"Well, just Savannah let me show you my world." He said happily and I saw from the sparkle in his eyes and tone of his voice that this was his world, this garden, these flowers.

Liam showed me around the garden for a long time, we laughed and I had one of the best times I'd had in a while.

"Meet me here, same time tomorrow night?" he asked and even though it was very dark I could see hope in his eyes.

I smiled, "Of course." I whispered. With that I practically ran all the way back to the house and up to my room, I fell into a happy, restful sleep. I already looked forward to my time with Liam.

**I'm so sorry for the wait this week has been crazy! Hope you enjoy! R&R please!**


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